Her Paper Boat
by ToKissTheRoses
Summary: A SethEirika fluff oneshot. From both of their views.


This is stupid

**Eirika's View**

This is stupid. It's a stupid old custom, and a stupid old festival.

So why are my hands still folding a little paper boat? Why am I still writing a little note that only says "I love you"? Why am I still walking towards his room, holding the stupid little thing, with the stupid little forget-me-not flower I chose? I don't know, possibly because I'm still enamored with **him**.

I set it down outside his door, knock loudly, and run. I know I'm supposed to leave it somewhere where he'll find it, but then again, I'm also supposed to write my name on the note. So I'm breaking custom-- so what? He isn't, so I can break custom for the both of us.

I can hear him open the door. I hear a crinkle of paper, and then footsteps-- damn. He's got me figured out. I run, silently as ever, and I've lost him in a matter of seconds. I'm just faster, he says so himself. I can hear him swear softly to himself that he couldn't catch me. He never does, no matter what little thing I've done to let him know that I still feel for him.

I find new places to hide every time-- this time, it happened to be a storeroom. Franz is here with Amelia, and they were obviously kissing-- I shrug apologetically, and listen to make sure I can hear Seth walking away. I do hear footsteps, but I can't tell if they're coming closer or going further away. So, being me, I take a risk and-- of course, since Lady Luck just **loves** me, as apparent by my current romantic situation-- run smack into a suit of walking armor that just happens to have Seth in it.

He's raising his eyebrows. I turn red slightly and turn around, ready to run away from him again, just to escape the argument we'll inevitably get into over this whole knight-and-princess thing. It's a habit I need to break that I move my arms around a whole lot when I run, because he catches my wrist easily. I sigh. "I know, I know. You don't need to go into the whole 'I'm a knight; you're a princess' speech, Seth… Please. Not today."

Apparently he's thinking about something, because he's looking past me. He finally just lets go of my wrist-- and right before I bolt away, he says softly, "Why a forget-me-not?"

I'm a little stuck on that one. "It means…" here I go into a whisper, because- as usual- I'm afraid of what he's going to say, "true love."

And then I run down the hallway.

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**Seth's View**

Today is a festival. Its main attraction is the paper boat folding, where one makes a paper boat and gives it to their love. It holds a note saying 'I love you' or some such, and a flower. Sometimes, if a woman is giving the boat to a man, she will include home-made chocolate.

Why am I still thinking about this? It isn't as if I **have** anyone to give a boat to. It isn't as if I have anyone I would **like** to give a boat to.

I wish I could tell myself that. But I am very logical, which annoys the part of me that wants to forget duty, and therefore I keep thinking of her. Princess Eirika.

Smoky black eyelashes, blue eyes that can capture your very heart… No. I am not a poet, I am not a minstrel, I am not Forde. I cannot write poetry, even in my mind. Especially about my-- no, not my-- Princess.

Perfect. A knock on my door-- it's very short, and loud. I go to answer it, and open the door to see only a little pale blue paper boat, with a forget-me-not in it along with a note. There on the side is a plate, with a heart-shaped chocolate. The chocolate is well made, with frosting decorating the edges of it. I hear footsteps faintly, at a running pace. I sigh, running a hand through my hair, and immediately know who it is that left this--

Eirika.

I pick up the little boat and read her note, written in her elegant penmanship- it's simple. _"I love you."_ I have to smile. She's persistent, that's one of the things I love about her. One of the many things I love about her, to be truthful. I run after her, but she's faster. She always has been.

The footsteps die away, and then there's silence in the hall. All I can hear is a large intake of breath from behind a door-- on this romantic night, I think she must have interrupted some couple that were kissing in a back room-- and I know where she is. I'll just stand outside and wait for her to come out, I suppose… What I am going to do when she does come out, I don't know.

She eventually does come out, and runs straight into me. Our eyes meet, and she makes to bolt away. She always flails her arms when she runs, though, so I catch her wrist by reflex. I don't even know what I'm going to say to her--

"I know, I know. You don't need to go into the whole 'I'm a knight; you're a princess' speech, Seth… Please. Not today." She says, sounding dejected.

She sounds so… sad.

It hurts to give her that speech, and I think she knows it, but still. All I can think of to say is, "Why a forget-me-not?"

She looks up at me and meets my eyes evenly. Her voice is anything but even, though, as she says, "It means…" she goes into a whisper, "true love."

Eirika does bolt this time, and I'm left standing in the hallway, wishing I could will my legs to move after her. To do what, I do not know.


End file.
